SAB Blog – Bhutan
Domestic Development
On 23 May 2022, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strengthening partnership and collaboration in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of corruption cases. The MoU provides a framework for professional communication and cooperation between the two agencies to work closely in the best national interests of the country.
Inter-agency cooperation in anti-corruption initiatives has been Bhutan’s weak link. OAG claims that the ACC has a mandate for investigation, not prosecution, per the constitution. However, the ACC act of Bhutan provides provisions for prosecution in particular circumstances.
Bhutan’s corruption ranking has slipped one place from 24th last year to 25th this year as per reports by Transparency International in its Corruption Perception Index 2022. However, the country’s score of 68 has remained the same for the past three years since 2018, and Bhutan is the least corrupt country in South Asia.
Regional Engagement
India agreed, in principle, to provide a third internet gateway to Bhutan. Bhutan’s foreign minister, Tandi Dorji and Indian External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, reached an agreement during the latter’s visit to Thimpu on 6 May. The rate is not yet finalized but is understood to be less than USD five per Mbps (megabits per second). Currently, Bhutan pays USD seven per Mbps for the Internet connection through the Siliguri corridor. The new link will benefit Bhutan’s Eastern districts and remote pockets of the country. It will also ensure continuity in service during emergencies such as internet shutdown caused by cycle Amphan in other gateways. Bhutan also expects the connection to attract foreign direct investment in information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services and employment generation.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said the internet is to be free and that the country should push to reduce the data charges and enhance access to the internet. However, he emphasized the need for responsible use of the internet.
Earlier this year, Bangladesh agreed to provide 10 Gbps IPLC (International Private Leased Circuit) to Bhutan at a friendly rate of USD three per Mbps. The decision came during Tsering’s meeting in Dhaka with his counterpart Sheikh Hasina on 24 March 2021.
Global Engagement
Bhutan unveiled its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) seven roadmap in Thimphu on 31 May. It aims to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. The roadmap focuses on efficiency in transport and domestic fuel use. Thimpu has partnered with ESCAP and UNDP for the same. Bhutan stepped onto the international stage as the first country to become carbon negative in 2017. It means the country’s greenhouse gas production is more than offset by its extensive forests and export of renewable energy. The Constitution of Bhutan states that forests should cover more than 60 percent of the country at all times.
